Ghana Rejects MTN Ghana’s GH¢20m Donation For Xenophobia Victims

The Ghanaian government has declined a proposed GH¢20 million donation from MTN Ghana to support citizens affected by recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government had already made adequate financial provisions for the evacuation and reintegration of Ghanaians affected by the violence, making it unnecessary to accept the telecom company’s offer.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 26, and shared by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on his official X account, the ministry said it became aware of media reports concerning MTN Ghana’s planned intervention.

“The media publications seem to attribute the announcement of this intended GHS20million donation to an interview granted by the highly regarded MTN Board Chairman, Dr. Ishmael Yamson.

“The Government of Ghana commends MTN for the offer, however, we respectfully decline,” the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the government’s position had already been communicated directly to Yamson and MTN Ghana’s Chief Executive Officer when they met with Ablakwa on August 14, 2026.

The ministry said the Mahama administration, working with local partners, had made sufficient provisions to fund the ongoing humanitarian evacuation of Ghanaians caught up in the violence in South Africa.

“Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana remains fully committed to current humanitarian evacuations and reintegration financial support for every Ghanaian brought back from harm’s way,” the statement said.

The government also pledged to publish a comprehensive account of the cost of the evacuation exercise after it is concluded.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures that it will present to the general public a comprehensive account of the total cost of evacuations as soon as the exercise is concluded, in the interest of transparency and accountability,” it added.

The ministry stressed that its decision should not be interpreted as a rejection of MTN’s support for Ghanaian citizens, but as a reflection of the government’s existing arrangements for managing the humanitarian response.

The Ghanaian government also sought to reassure international companies operating in the country that its decision would not affect its relationship with foreign investors.

“Government will continue to create the best business ecosystem for all international brands operating in Ghana to succeed, irrespective of which country their businesses originated from,” the ministry said.

The development comes as Ghana continues to respond to reports of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa, with concerns over the safety and welfare of African migrants and their businesses.

MTN Ghana’s proposed GH¢20 million intervention would have represented a major corporate contribution towards assisting affected Ghanaians. However, the government has opted to rely on its existing funding arrangements for the evacuation and reintegration programme.

The government said the eventual publication of the evacuation expenditure would provide the public with details of the resources committed to bringing affected Ghanaians home and supporting their reintegration.